ICIYL Video Premiere: Haruka Fujii performs “Shimmer” and “Sparkle” by Vivian Fung
From ICIYL:
The directness of expression in the music of Vivian Fung makes it immediately engaging, and her two new pieces for solo percussion present a stripped-down alternative to her orchestral works that also employ percussion — like the churning and swelling Parade.
We’re excited to premiere the videos for “Shimmer” and “Sparkle,” filmed by Matt Carr and performed by percussionist Haruka Fujii. Commissioned by the San Francisco-based, women-led organization Ensemble for These Times, the short pieces are mostly performed on household objects, including water bowls, porcelain mugs, mortars, and cups of different sizes.
“Shimmer” is the slower, more contemplative of the two — Fujii strikes the inside of the water bowls with yarn mallets and lets each note ring out, the overtones ebbing away in waves. This is contrasted with faster rhythmic patterns on the higher pitched objects, struck with chopsticks.
“Sparkle” is the rowdier companion piece. Five bowls of different sizes are complemented by a kick drum and a set of bells; Fujii picks up the pace and crisscrosses between each set, as a thoroughly engaging miniature piece for solo percussion takes shape.